More petitions for poker filed in high court

Another petition to rebrand poker as a game of skill rather than gambling was filed in Gujarat high court earlier this week.

India.- Aman Chabbra of Indian Series of Poker has filed before Gujarat high court a petition to declare poker as a game of skill instead of being considered gambling. In addition to the filing -which adds up to a variety of previous ones- he also urged the court to instruct police forces not to stop his company from conducting its business.

Nachiket Dave, Chabbra’s lawyer, explained their petition and stated: “Poker is played in hundreds of countries by millions of people all around the world, far more than bridge or chess, strategy is a key ingredient to success.” Justice G R Udhwani on Wednesday notified the state government and city police commissioner and sought a reply by next Monday.

Declaring poker as a game of skill would protect it under the exception carved out by Section 13 of the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act and the players and organisers wouldn’t be booked for gambling.

The Indian Poker Association had already moved the high court twice before -the most recent was just last month- after the police commissioner of Ahmedabad forbade playing poker as it considered it as gambling. The police forces raided several poker venues after said decision.